The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is encouraging producers and agribusinesses to respond to two upcoming surveys -- the Potato Stocks Survey and the Potato Processing Survey -- that are critical to the
potato industry.

Potato Stocks reports are used by all parts of the potato industry to aid in the orderly movement of the crop. Farmers use the reports to decide when to sell their crop. Shippers, processors, and brokers monitor crop movement to help decide when to buy and
when to ship. Transportation firms need information on the location and volume of production. The chipping industry needs stocks by type to gauge the supply of potatoes suitable for their products. Many agribusiness firms use stocks and production reports as
they provide services to the industry. The United Potato Growers of America use stocks data to update and improve their marketing plan as the season progresses.

The Potato Processing Survey will be conducted concurrently with the Potato Stocks Survey.

Potato processors make up a significant share of the United States economy. In recent years, the majority of potatoes grown within the U.S. were utilized for processing, and most potato exports consisted of processed potatoes. Data collected includes the total
quantity of potatoes processed as chips, frozen French fries, other frozen, starch, flour, other dehydrated potatoes, canned potatoes, and other potato products.

NASS will publish the results in the February 15, 2018 Potato Stocks publication. NASS gathers the data for the survey online, by mail, phone and in-person interviews.

"The cooperation of the potato industry is crucial to ensure that your state's potato crop is accurately represented in national potato statistics," said King Whetstone, director for the USDA's NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office. "NASS safeguards the
privacy of all responses and publishes only state and national level data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified."

For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northeastern Regional Field Office at (800) 498-1518.